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THE 
SEVEN PARABLES 

OF 

THE KINGDOM 




BY 
REV. SAMUEL LINN 



\ Two Copies rtewivtxi 

JUN 8 1308 



£TV?5r 



Copyright by 

Samuel Linn 

Jan. 27, 1908 



PRESS OF 

THE WOOLVEETON PRINTING & PUBLISHING CO., 

OftAGE, IOWA 









INTRODUCTION 

The thirteenth chapter of the gospel of 
Matthew is not only a very interesting, but 
also a very important chapter, containing as 
it does the unfolding ot the mysteries of the 
Kingdom of the heavens: "even the mystery 
which from the beginning of the world hath 
been hid in God'j— Eph. 3:9. This chapter 
contains seven parables which according to 
verse 53 were all delivered by the Savior up- 
on one and the same occasion, and in these 
seven parables the Lord Jesus clearly sets forth 
the Truth concerning the establishment and 
the growth of the Kingdom of the Heavens 
in this age. In verses 1-3 we see that Jesus 
leaves the house in which He had been stay- 
ing with His disciples and goes down to the 
seaside where He spake many things to the 
multitudes in parables and without a par- 
able spake He not unto them. (v. 34.) Then 
in v. 10 immediately after He had finished 
the first parable, the disciples asked Him why 
speakest thou unto them in parables? We 



INTRODUCTION 



too would ask that question, but before we 
attempt an explanation, let us first under- 
stand what is meant by a parable. The par- 
ables of the Lord Jesus are invariably the de- 
scription of some heavenly thing under the 
image of an earthly thing. This does not 
mean that the Lord Jesus used anything fic- 
titious or untrue to illustrate His teaching. 
Invariably He takes one of the common, 
familiar things of everyday life, such as the 
sower, the seed, the salt, the mustard tree, 
the leaven, the treasure, the merchant seek- 
ing pearls and the fisherman with his net; 
these familar things taken out of the occur- 
rences of everyday life He uses to illustrate 
the mysterious and unseen. All the parables 
in this chapter or any other chapter in the 
Gospels are facts and occurrences with which 
the hearer was not only very familiar, but 
which were often being carried out even while 
the Savior was speaking. The Savior's 
teaching had ever been characterized by sim- 
plicity and directness, hence we too with the 
disciples ask the question why speakest thou 
unto them in parables? What was His pur- 
pose? We are not left in doubt for the Sa- 
vior Himself answers the question. First of 



INTRODUCTION 5 

all we are to remember that the Savior did 
not use parables that He might more effectu- 
ally conceal the Truth from those who had 
rejected Him in unbelief. Would it not have 
been dishonest and deceitful in Him to pro- 
fess to be the Way, the Truth and the Life 
and then deliberately so mask or veil the 
Truth, that the many would be confused 
while only the few could understand. On the 
contrary we know positively that from the 
manger to the cross not the least shade of 
deceit or dishonesty was ever found in His 
life. Why then did He use the parable? That 
He might aid and not hinder in the proper 
understanding of His teaching. For example 
some one tells you there is a spot on the sun, 
if you want to see it, what do you do? You 
cannot see it with the naked eye, no not even 
w r ith the aid of a telescope, the dazzling light 
w r ill only blind you; but if you use a piece of 
smoked glass then you can see clearly and 
that without any discomfort. So it is with 
the parable like the smoked glass, it veils the 
truth but does not blind our eyes. It is 
rather an assistance to correct vision and 
proper understanding. But in addition to 
all this notice the Saviors answer v. 11, He 



INTRODUCTION 



answered and said unto them, because it is 
given unto you to know the mysteries of the 
kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not 
given. Notice again that this is not all of 
His answer, v. 12, for whosoever hath to 
him shall be given and he shall have more 
abundance; but whosoever hath not from 
him shall be taken even that he hath. Notice 
that the necessary knowledge was given to 
the disciples by which they were enabled to 
understand the mystery of the kingdom set 
forth in the parables of our Lord; but this 
same knowledge which was given to them 
was not given to others, and the lack of this 
knowledge made it impossible for them to 
understand the parables of the Lord Jesus. 
Now why was there such a difference? What 
w^as it that the disciples of the Lord Jesus 
possessed that the other men lacked? The 
disciples of the Lord Jesus were not richer 
than other men, nor were they wiser in mat- 
ters of worldly wisdom, but they were richer 
in faith and it was this faith that enabled 
them to understand the mysteries of the 
kingdom. The people who could not under- 
stand the parables were those who had no 
faith in the Lord Jesus as Savior and king. 



INTRODUCTION / 

Notwithstanding His gracious ministry, in 
spite of His wonderful teaching and all the 
signs and wonders that He wrought among 
them as mighty witnesses of His divinity, 
they still rejected Him and by that rejection 
they lost the power that the disciples gained 
in receiving Christ. So it is to this very day 
when we accept Christ in simple childlike 
faith our eyes are opened, we see that which 
before was mystery, for the promise has ever 
been believe and thou shalt know. But so 
long as we reject Christ our eyes are closed 
to a proper understanding of the Truth, the 
gospel seems a mystery, but if it is a mystery, 
it is a mystery to them that are lost, lost 
through unbelief. In v. 13 the Savior ex- 
plains further, '/therefore speak I to them in 
parables; because seeing that they see not 
and hearing the;y hear not neither do they 
understand.' ' Herein was the prophecy of 
Isaiah 6:9 fulfilled. The people to whom the 
Lord Jesus ministered had for centuries been 
well trained in the 0. T, truth, they were 
very well prepared to receive the message of 
Jesus, but they refused to receive Him, hence 
though they saw Him w4th the natural eye 
they would not look to Him with the eye of 



8 INTRODUCTION 

faith; though they heard Him with the nat- 
ural ear they would not listen or obey. Then 
our Lord strives to gain their attention by 
an all together different method, namely: by 
speaking to them in parables. What infinite 
patience and wonderful compassion is here 
displayed. When the people through wailful 
rejection and unbelief had closed their eyes 
and were as asleep, then instead of abandon- 
ing them, we see the Saviour attempting to 
rouse them from the lethargy of unbelief by 
speaking to them in parables. Yet we should 
ever bear in mind that it was not to the mul- 
titudes alone that the Savior spoke in par- 
ables but in v. 52 of this chapter and often 
thereafter we find that the Savior speaks to 
the disciples in parables, for they too as well 
as the multitudes w^ere in blindness and dark- 
ness at times. He spake unto them in par- 
ables. What a volume of love and patience 
is contained in those words. As w-e carefully 
and prayerfully look into this chapter may 
our eyes be opened to behold the mysteries 
of the kingdom; for the King has said "if we 
have faith it is given us to know^." Before 
we take up these parables separately let us 
look at them in a general w T ay. In Gen. 41:45 



INTRODUCTION 9 

we read of one whom Pharoah called "Zaph- 
nath-Pananearr' which means revealer of 
secrets. This person is Joseph, the Hebrew 
lad, who after he was rejected by his breth- 
ren became the interpreter of dreams and the 
revealer of secrets before the great king. In 
this wonderful chapter we behold Jesus as 
the rejected one. First they rejected John, 
the fore-runner, then they reject the King 
Himself and after that, Christ Jesus rejected by 
His brethren like Joseph of old, now becomes 
the revealer of secrets. Even a casual survey 
of this thirteenth chapter of Matthew shows 
that it contains seven parables which are 
best known as the seven parables of the 
Kingdom. Notice the Savior uses the expres- 
sion, ^the Kingdom of Heaven is like" no less 
than six times in these seven parables, there- 
fore it is well for us to know at the very out- 
set, what is meant by the Kingdom of Heav- 
ens. First the Kingdom of Heaven is not 
the Church. You may search the Scriptures 
from Gen. to Rev. and you will not find a 
single passage where the Church is called the 
Kingdom of the Heavens. The Savior first 
mentions the w^ord Church in Matthew 16:18 
where he says, "I will build Mv Church." 



10 INTRODUCTION 

The Church was not yet in existence when 
our Lord was on earth, and He nowhere in 
all His teaching refers to the Church as the 
Kingdom of the Heavens. Xor does the Holy 
Spirit refer to the Church as the Kingdom, 
but He speaks of the Church as the Body of 
Christ, the Bride of Christ, the Habitation of 
God, a Temple and a House but nearer as the 
Kingdom. What then does our Lord mean 
by the Kingdom of the Heavens? The a 
wer is very plain. Christ offered the King- 
dom to Israel, but Israel rejected the offer. 
Then Christ like the Sower in the first par- 
able went out into the world wide field, scat- 
tering the precious seed of Truth through 
His own ministry and that of His disciples 
and wherever the Truth in Christ Jesus has. 
been proclaimed, wherever men have been 
brought face to face with the question what 
will you do with Jesus that is Christendom 
that is the Kingdom. Therefore we see that 
while the Church is not the Kingdom yet the 
Church is in the Kingdom. 

In these seven parables of the Kingdom 
the Savior tells us what men will do with the 
work He began on earth. All the opposition 
and hatred the world is to direct against the 



INTRODUCTION 

cause of Christ is clearly foretold. The seven 
parables of the kingdom are susceptible : 
of a twc -; jl:l falvisiom the nrst four and the 
last three. ) The nrst four were delivered be- 
fore the multitudes the ' H: ha;l ::is- 
missed the multitudes. He :. : — into the house 
with His disciples and in taefr hearia . He de- 
livers ti fan ■ .".r;hbe: : Turrherm : re 
our 1 ta- drst v les. but 
leaves the last dve aueauhaiuef, although He 
gives us a :t:~ m n tne m st 
parable (the dragnet 

of t iut: gr : .;:: s 

of two. (1) The Sower who went out 
sov :e:uv s: rs. These 

refer ".. the ;; iaui:m o: the 
kiima /: : t a :h_ h :; f men. 

The growth of the burnt;::: is ahm umdieiin 
these parable? and the conditions of conflict 
therein described are to last t the vera end 
of the age. i : ; 

of the mustard seed and the parable of the 
leaven. These two parables describe the 
growth 07 the king;! : : internal and ex- 



12 INTRODUCTION 

the two mysteries in the Kingdom, Israel 
God's earthly people hid in the field and the 
Church, the pearl of great price for which He 
has given all. The parable of the dragnet 
stands alone and refers to the end of the age. 
Again we may look upon these parables 
from another view point. When we turn to 
Rev. 2 and 3 we find in the message of Christ 
to the seven churches the outline of the his- 
tory of the Kingdom of the Heavens. When 
we compare these seven parables with the mes- 
sage to the seven churches we find a most 
striking similarity. Compare the parable of 
the Sower with the message to the church at 
Ephesus. Do not both alike refer to the 
apostolic age? The beginning of the king- 
dom, with its failure and forsaking of the 
first love. Compare the parable of the wheat 
and the tares with the message to Smyrna. 
Compare the parable of the mustard seed 
with Pergamos. Under Constantine the 
great, the Church becomes a big states insti- 
tution. It is like a great tree to which the 
nations like unclean birds fly for shelter. 
Compare the parable of the leaven with Thy- 
atira, the Roman age marked by the rise of 
the papacy and all the abominations of Ca- 



INTRODUCTION 13 

tholicism. Compare the parable of the treas- 
ure hid in the field with Sardis, the reform- 
ation era. Compare the parable of the pearl 
with Philadelphia. Compare the parable of the 
dragnet with Laodicea, neither hot nor cold, 
therefore judgment is soon to come. We sim- 
ply offer these as suggestions to an introduct- 
ory study of the seven parables of the kingdom. 
Finally we glance for a moment at the 
last parable. Most generally we think of 
this thirteenth chapter of Matthew as con- 
taining but seven parables, whereas there 
are really eight. The seven parables unfold 
the mysteries of the kingdom, while the 
eighth deals with the responsibilities of those 
who know the truth. After our Lord had 
declared the seven parables He asked His dis- 
ciples, "Have ye understood all these things?" 
Hardly knowing what they said they an- 
swered yea Lord. Of course they did not un- 
derstand all and the Savior realized that 
they did not. He knew they had a glimmer- 
ing of the Truth, and He also knew that af- 
ter His decease, the Holy Spirit would guide 
them into all Truth; so He accepts their ans- 
wer and charges them with their responsibil- 
ity. 



CHAPTER I 
The Parable of the Sower 

Matthew 13:3-9; 18-23 

And he spake to them many things in 
parables, saying, Behold, the sower went 
forth to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds 
fell by the wayside, and the birds came and 
devoured them; and others fell upon the rocky 
places, where they had not much earth; and 
straightway they sprang up, because they 
had no deepness of earth; and when the sun 
was risen, they were scorched; and because 
they had no root; they withered away. And 
others fell among the thorns; and the thorns 
grew up, and choked them; and others fell 
upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some 
a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty. He 
that hath ears to hear let him hear * * # 
Hear then ye the parable of the sower. When 
anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, 
and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil 
one, and snatcheth away that which hath 
been sown in his heart. This is he that was 

15 



16 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

sown by the wayside. And he that was 
sown upon the rocky places, this is he that 
heareth the word and straightway with joy 
receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, 
but endure th for a while; and when tribula- 
tion or persecution ariseth because of the 
word, straightway he stumbleth. And he 
that was sown among thorns, this is he that 
heareth the word, and the care ol the world, 
and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the 
word, and he becometh unfruitful. And he 
that was sown upon the good ground, this is 
he that heareth the word and understandeth 
it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth 
forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some 
thirty. 

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER 

The first parable of the Kingdom is the 
well known parable of the sower. Our Lord 
evidently considered a thorough understand- 
ing of this parable quite essential, for it is one 
of the two parables which He explains to His 
disciples and in Mark 4:13 He says that if 
they could not understand this first parable, 
they would not be able to understand the 
others which He proclaimed afterwards. 



THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER 17 

We notice that there are four points of 
main importance in this parable (1) The 
Sower, (2) the Seed, (3) the Soil, (4) the Re- 
sult of the sowing or the Harvest. 

(1) The SOWER "Behold the Sow^er 
went out to sow " There are two things 
that immediately attract our attention in 
these opening words of the parable. (1) Our 
Lord speaks of the sower and not of a sower. 
(2) That the Sower went out. Who is the 
Sower? It is not difficult to explain the person- 
ality of the Sower; though the Lord does not 
tell us who the Sower is in His explanation of 
the first parable, yet in His exposition of the 
second parable He says " He that soweth the 
good seed is the Son of Man." Our Lord 
himself is the sower. The sow^er of the seed 
in Palestine did not live in the country as the 
farmer does in our land; but his home w r as 
generally found in some little hamlet, from 
which he must go out to the distant field to 
sow the grain. The Sow^er, that is the Savior 
went out from His home in heaven to earth 
bearing the precious seed. He came first to 
His own people Israel but they would not re- 
ceive Him, their attitude toward Him is 
described in (Is. 5:2-7) " He fenced it in, and 



18 THE SEVEN PARABI.ES 

gathered out the stones thereof, and planted 
it with the choicest vines, and built a tower 
in the midst of it, and also made a winepress 
therein; and He looked that it should bring 
forth grapes, and it brought forth wild 
grapes ^ # # and now go to; I will tell you 
what I will do to my vineyard: I will take 
away the hedge thereof, and it shall be trod- 
den down." Israel was the vineyard of (Is. 5) 
which the Lord himself planted with care, 
but in spite of all His care, it brought forth 
wild grapes; this indicates the rebellious spirit 
with which Israel rejected the gracious min- 
istry of our Lord. Then our Lord laid the 
vineyard waste and bare and now behold the 
Sower went out: our Lord went out from His 
own people who had rejected him and hence- 
forth He goes out into the worldwide field 
scattering the precious seed. " Beginning at 
Jerusalem unto Samaria the Sower goes even 
to the uttermost parts of the world. " The 
sowing He began continues still, and the re- 
sult or the harvest is still the same. 

(2) The Seed. What is the seed? When 
w^e look at the parable apart from the 
Savior's interpretation of it, we are apt to 
think that the harvest depends upon the kind 



THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER 19 

of soil upon which the seed is sown. How- 
ever when we study the Savior's interpreta- 
tion of the parable, we see that the quality of 
the harvest depends upon the nature of the 
seed. If the Savior had not explained the 
parable, we would be disposed to think that 
the harvest depends altogether upon the 
quality of the soil. That is, if the seed fall 
upon the highway, or upon the stony ground, 
or among thorns, we say there will be no 
harvest; but if the seed fall upon the good 
ground, there will be much fruit. This is 
man's interpretation: notice that the Savior 
in His interpretation of the parable does not 
place any importance upon the condition of 
the soil, but He places all the importance up- 
on the condition of the seed which is cast into 
the soil. As we carefully examine the Savior's 
interpretation of this parable, we see that 
there is one expression that occurs no less 
than four times. It is this "he that w^as 
sown" this expression refers to the seed and 
notice that the seed is not referred to as it, 
but this is he. This expression "he that was 
sown" is the keyword of the interpretation 
passage. Let us read this passage verse 18 
"Hear ye then the parable of the sower. 



20 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

When anyone heareth the Word of the King- 
dom and understandeth it not, then cometh 
the evil one and snatcheth away that which 
has been sown in his heart. This is he that 
was sown by the wayside.-" Notice closely 
the Savior says this is he that was sown by 
the wayside. Not this is it but this is he. 
(v 20) "and he that was sown upon the 
rocky places" notice again not it but he. 
(v 22) "and he that was sown among 
thorns " notice again he that was sown and 
not it (v 23) "and he that was sown upon 
good ground " notice again he that was sown 
and not it. This fourfold explanation proves 
beyond the shadow of a doubt that the seed is 
not simply the written or the spoken Word 
of God but the seed is that portion of the 
Word which has become so thoroughly in- 
corporated in us that it is a part of our being 
and that which was the written word has 
now become incarnate in us. The word is 
now the active principle of our life. Hence 
the Savior in referring to the seed speaks of 
the seed as a person he not it and in His in- 
terpretation of the second parable He says of 
the good seed "these are the sons of the king- 
dom." With this interpretation in view, let 



THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER 21 

us now carefully examine our Lord's descrip- 
tion of the different kinds of seed. 

(1) " He that was sown by the w ay side' ' 
Who is he that was sown by the w^ayside? 
Our Lord answers " anyone w^ho heareth the 
word of the kingdom and understandeth it 
not." These are the class who hear the w^ord 
with the natural ear only. The heavenly 
harmony of the gospel wakes no echo in their 
soul, to them it's music is as sounding brass 
and as a tinkling cymbal. They hear, but do 
not understand and so the evil one comes and 
snatches away that w 7 hich was sown in the 
heart. Then this man's heart becomes like a 
seed that has fallen upon the beaten high- 
way, there is now no possibility for growth 
and the life which like the seed might have 
produced a multiplied harvest in the establish- 
ment and upbuilding of the kingdom is now 
sterile and barren; for the seed is now either 
ground to powder under the wheels of com- 
mercialism or snatched up by evil passions 
which like birds of prey are ever seeking that 
which they may devour. (2) "He that was 
sown upon rocky places." Who does this 
mean? The Savior answers " this is he that 
hears the word and immediately receives it 



22 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

with joy, but has no root in himself but en- 
dure for awhile; then when tribulation or 
persecution cometh because of the word 
straightway he stumbleth. This represents 
a class of hearers who not only hear the word 
of the kingdom, but who accept it and rejoice 
in it, but they do not go beyond that. They 
do not allow the word to take deep root in 
their lives. Beneath the thin shallow soil 
with which they cover over their unregener- 
ate nature there is the heart of stone that has 
never been broken under the Holy Spirit's 
convicting power. Alas how many there ever 
have been in this class; putting on the form 
of godliness but denying the power thereof, 
springing up and for a time giving indication 
of life and health, but when the time of trial 
comes they have no power of resistance, so 
they wither and die without bearing fruit, 
doing nothing for the upbuilding or advance- 
ment of the Kingdom. (3) v 22 " He that 
was sown among thorns." This man repre- 
sents the class of those who hear the word 
and even receive it, but the cares of the age 
and the deceitfulness of riches like great rank 
weeds choke the word so that this man dies 
and passes out of the world bearing no fruit, 



THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER 23 

doing nothing toward the growth or estab- 
lishment of the Kingdom. When we think of 
the many claims the world makes today up- 
on the minds of men, and the strenuous life 
that many lead, we need not look far for ex- 
amples that illustrate this class. (4) v 23 
44 but he that is sown upon the good ground, 
this is he who hears and understands the 
word, who bears fruit also some 30, some 
60, some 100 fold." This represents the class 
w^hose hearts have been made receptive to the 
truth by the agency of the Holy Spirit and 
the w 7 ord now becomes the ruling principle of 
their life, therefore they have a subtle influ- 
ence that w r orks mightily for the growth and 
establishment of the Kingdom. 

(3) The Soil. Let us now consider the 
signifigance of the soil into which the seed 
was sown. Where does the sower generally 
sow the seed? In the field. Where is the field? 
The Savior 's answer is "the field is the world." 
But w^e may ask if the Savior is the Sow r er, 
and the good seed is the sons of the Kingdom, 
and the soil or the field is sown is the world, 
how r long does the sowing of the seed con- 
tinue? Does the sowing of the seed cease 
after the Savior has ascended unto the 



24 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

Father? We answer, the sowing He began 
still continues and the result is still the same. 
Though absent from the world, our Lord is 
still at work, through His disciples the King- 
dom is still being advanced, the seed is still 
being sown, John 14:12 "Verily, verily I say 
unto you, he that believeth on Me, the works 
that I do, shall he do also, and greater works 
than these shall he do because I go unto My 
Father.' ' Thus we see that the sowing He 
began still continues and the results are still 
the same. Will this sowing continue to the 
end of time? We answer that the sowing of 
the seed will continue to the end of this age. 
But what will mark the end of this age? 
" The coming of the Lord." What marks the 
beginning of the age in which we live? The 
age in which we live is defined by Paul as the 
dispensation of grace, Rom. 6:14. This dis- 
pensation of grace begins with the cross of 
Calvary and extends to "the coming of our 
Lord for His saints." (IThess. 4:16-18) Dur- 
ing this age (the dispensation of grace) the 
sons of the Kingdom will continue the work 
of advancing the Kingdom until the King 
himself comes to take his own to himself. 
We build up or set back the growth of the 



THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER 25 

Kingdom in proportion as our lives are fruit- 
ful of good or evil. We hasten or retard the 
Coming of Christ our King in proportion as 
we watch and w^ork and pray for His coming. 

(4) The Result or the Harvest. Let us 
bear in mind that the Savior is the sower of 
the seed, the seed represents those persons 
whose life is the very incarnation of the w^ord 
of Christ, the soil or the field is the world in 
which we live, and upon which our lives ex- 
ert a subtle influence that w T orks mightily for 
the upbuilding of the Kingdom in this age 
(the dispensation of grace). 

Xow as to the harvest or the result. 
What will become of all this seed that is 
sown? Will the world receive it? Will we 
be able to sow the entire field? We often 
hear it said that the world is growing better 
and better and hy and by the whole w^orld 
w T ill be converted and then Christ wall come. 
We do not know on .what foundation this 
theory is built but w^e are very sure that it is 
not based upon the Truth of Holy Scripture 
as it is found in these parables of the King- 
dom. Notice that in this very first parable 
of the Kingdom the Savior teaches that there 
wall not be a universal acceptance of the 



26 THE SEVEN PAR ABIDES 

Truth in this age. In fact we see very clearly 
that only one-fourth part of the seed sown 
bears any fruit besides all of that which does 
bear fruit, does not yield alike, some bears 
30, some 60, some, only a small proportion, 
bears 100 fold. 

PERSONAL APPLICATION— The sower 
of the seed goes up and down the world-wide 
field which He has sown and is still sowing 
with the seed and as He goes the eyes of the 
King look closely for the harvest of the king- 
dom. He looks closely into your life and 
mine, for it is the character of your life that 
determines the character of the harvest. 
Here He comes to a place where the seed was 
sown but the ground is bare, not a blade or 
single stalk of grain is to be seen; it is as if it 
were sown by the wayside and He says "this 
is he that heareth the word of the Kingdom 
and understandeth it not," Then we hear 
the despairing cry O! Master! Can it be that 
we who have so often heard thy word, have 
been so heedless as never to understand? 
Give us back! O give us back! the years of life 
lest we come into thy presence empty handed, 
bringing nothing but leaves. But alas the 
harvest is past, the summer is ended and so 



THE PARABIvE OF THE SOWER 27 

these pass out of the world, without having 
advanced the kingdom of Christ their Lord. 
Again the Savior comes to a spot which 
but afe w days before was green and luxuriant 
but now it is drj^ and withered, it is the seed 
which was sown upon the stony ground. 
We listen, and 0! with what sadness do we 
hear Him S8ij y " These are they who at first 
received the word with gladness, but w-hen 
tribulation came because of the word they 
stumbled.'' These are the fair weather Chris- 
tians, there was a great deal of enthusiasm 
and promise in their service and testimony 
when the\^ first came to Christ, and as long 
as there was sunshine and flowers all went 
well, but by and by the way became steep 
and thorny and they forsake the way of the 
Cross for the primrose path of worldly pleas- 
ure and indulgence, and so they too pass out 
without having advanced the Kingdom of 
Christ their Lord. Again the Lord comes to 
a place which the growing grain was cover- 
ing as with a carpet of living green, but now- 
all is hidden beneath a rank growth of weeds; 
and the sower says "this is he that heareth 
the word but the cares of the age and the 
deceitfulness of riches choked the Word of 



28 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

Truth. There was too much business, no 
time left for the Master and so although 
these may have influenced the age mightily in 
a social or a commercial way, and though 
they were widely known and highly honored 
in the world because of their influence and 
great achievement, yet they must now pass 
out, to be forever forgotten and unknown in 
that great Kingdom toward the advance- 
ment and establishment of which they have 
contributed nothing. 

Again the Savior comes to places where 
the ripening grain can be seen whitening for 
the harvest and the sower says 4 'thisishe 
that heareth the word and understandeth it; 
who verily beareth fruit some 30, some 60, 
some 100 fold. These heard and understood 
the word. It was their meditation day and 
night. Perhaps they did not get on so fast, 
nor up so high in the eyes of men, but their 
lives were prolific in righteousness. Their 
every thought, and word, and deed, was as a 
seed, which in turn, bore a multiplied harvest 
for the King. 

What is your life? Is it the seed sown 
on good ground, that springs up and bears 
100 fold? Are your words, and thoughts, 



THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER 29 

and deeds, like seeds that bear a multiplied 
harvest for the King? Remember the time is 
short and the days are evil. In the morning 
sow thy seed; sow it bountifully even now 
while it is called today. Soon the night 
comes when man's work is done. Do not 
complain because the Sower has cast your 
lot in the stony places, or among the thorns 
or even upon the beaten highway. If you 
have heard and understand the Word it mat- 
ters not where your lot is cast. His power 
within can overcome the opposition of the 
age and transform the very desert into a 
watered garden. Let us then sit at His feet 
and learn of Him. May the Holy Spirit ever 
take the things of Christ and show them to 
us, till we understand, then shall we indeed 
glorify the Father by bearing much fruit. 



CHAPTER II. 
The Parable of the Tares 

Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 

Another parable set he before them, say- 
ing, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a 
man that sowed good seed in his field; but 
while men slept, his enemy came and sowed 
tares also among the wheat, and went away. 
But when the blade sprang up, and brought 
forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 
And the servants of the householder came 
and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow 
good see in thy field? Whence then hath it 
tares? And he said unto them an enemy 
hath done this. And the servants say unto 
him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather 
them up? But he saith, nay; lest haply while 
ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat 
with them. Let both grow together until 
the harvest, and in the time of harvest I will 
say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, 
and bind them in bundles to burn them, but 
gather the wheat into my barn. * * * Then 



zt .-': the rr ;i ~ -: in : : - 

house: and his disciples came unto him, say- 

E znlafn unto us the parable of the ta 
: : -.it ::/' A _.::= - -e: H; 

i the good seed is the Son of man; 

Id is the world; and the good seed, 
these are the sons of the kingdom; and 

:t — sirs :: 
enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the 
_ i r ~. _ - — . 

tr5 ;-:: :ht ;-::._;-_.- -.5 ::::::::: ::::;::> ?.rt 
gathered up and burned with fire: so shall it 
be in the end of the world. The Son of Man 
shall send forth his angels, and they shall 
gather oat of his k : ~ r i : ti ?.'.'. z "_: :: :;■ 

----- - - - — ■ — --5 — — — — — — - - - _""',' ' 

and shall cast, them into the furnace of fire; 
there shall be the weeping and gnashing of 
..-. Z'-±~ 5.:?_". ----- rli-htt'.us siiirt : : ni 
as the son in the Kingdom of their Father. 
Hi -3- j:?- ;; tarE :: jitar -tr. lum itar 

THE PARABLE OF THE TAR~ 8 

In the latter part of the v. 36 of Matt. 
13 we find the title of this parable. * 'and His 
disciples came unto Him, saying explain un- 

-- "5 tit ia.ra.Y_- ;: -.'.:- -_a.rt5~;: tit rltli. 



n 



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fidd 

Iz this se: : :: :" t ; - in "he 

n : the :': :: :•: ::: :s : :n.3.-ji :nt : r: :. ; 
are: l t the Sower; 2. the seed; 3, the i 

res.ht ::*the s:"':::^ :rthe ':i^.rrtsz 

: ::., ? : ---.r : : 

there was but one Sower, (the Son 

tt:t in this cJirji/tLe ::"the t: - ■. s there 
s:~~ers Hh ~"*e~er it :s :. : iirhetht 
ti:j the ters iiiiihty :: these t~- : s:~ 
Lord himself says, v. 37. * tt He that 
the good seed is the Son of man" ai 
He says, v. 39, fck amd the enemy tha 
them the t.ires is the :ie"h h : — 
the time ..:::: in :i.z7 : the r s ; ~ ti 
S : :: : m.tr. s : ~-e :: the ^ : : :: See :: :.n . 
in the light of day, when all wi 
might see His work, and say it is tc 
1 he eneniT S,.t .tr. s -- : : . ~hen ::?r 
He :.ime t; ;:; His stritehh - ; rh ™ 
slept. lest any should see that He wa 
eril seed in another's field. 7 eh::. 
character of the two sowers is most 



34 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

contrasted when we compare their w T ork. 
The work of the Lord Jesus was ever done in 
the light of day; He himself in referring to it 
said, "in secret have I said nothing/ ' He 
had nothing to conceal, for His works were 
ever right and true. He himself was the 
Way, the Truth, and the Life. Satan's w^ork 
has ever been in the dark. He worked while 
men slept, because his w^ork w^as evil and 
could not be accomplished in the light of day. 
He is the Prince ol darkness, the arch enemy, 
and adversary of our souls. 

(2) The Seed. In this parable there are 
two kinds of seed — the good seed (the wheat) 
and the evil seed (the tares.) What do these 
tw^o kinds of seed represent? Like begets 
like. Whatsoever a man soweth that shall 
he also reap. The good seed represents the 
Sons of the kingdom and the tares are the 
sons of the evil one. The wheat was good, 
like the Master w r ho sowed ii but the tares 
were evil like the one from whom they came. 
The tares or the darnel (so called from its 
supposed stupefying pow r er) is a species of 
wild grass, which, while grownng closely re- 
sembles the w r heat or rye, but when it begins 
to mature the difference is seen at once. The 



THE PARABLE OF THE TARES 35 

seed of the darnel is poisonous. Recent in- 
vestigations have shown the presence of a 
fungus in the darnel seed to which its poison- 
ous qualities are attributed. Why was such 
seed sown? It had no value; it was not only 
worthless but even poisonous. Why then 
was it sown? The main object of the enemy 
in sowing the darnel among the wheat was 
to damage the work of the Sower of the 
good seed as much as possible. The harvest 
of good grain would be lighter, and the dar- 
nel mixed with the wheat, v^ould lessen its 
value. Note the subtle manner in which this 
spiteful work was done. The enemy (Satan) 
selects a poisonous seed (the darnel) which 
looks like the wheat and which when grow- 
ing can scarcely be distinguished from the 
wheat, and while men slept he sows this evil 
seed among the wheat. Satan's method has 
ever been to cheat and deceive. He has de- 
veloped great skill in counterfeiting the 
Truth, so that at times he is able to deceive 
the very elect of God. 

When did the enemy begin to sow the 
evil seed? (1) Immediately after the Sower 
had cast the good seed into the soil. (2) 
While men slept. 



36 THE SEVEN PARABI.ES 

( 1 ) Immediately after our Lord had pro- 
claimed the Truth. Immediately after the 
Lord had finished His work on earth and 
ascended unto the Father in Heaven. No 
sooner had the Holy Spirit descended upon 
the disciples, than Satan begins his malicious 
and hateful work. The enemy sows the 
seed. In the days of the apostle Paul we be- 
hold the tares among the wheat in the per- 
sons of Ananias and Sapphira and later in 
Simon Magus. These took the truth of 
God's w r ord and changed it into a lie. They 
were like the devil, the Father of lies of whom 
they were begotten. 

(2) While men slept. Notice: not while 
the Sower slept, but while wen slept. The 
Sower never slumbers or sleeps; but men into 
whose hands the work of establishing and 
advancing the Kingdom was given, these 
who should have been watching while the 
Lord was absent, (as He now is in this dispen- 
sation of grace) fell asleep, and it was while 
the Lord's Stewards were in this unwatchful 
condition that the enemy came to sow the 
tares in the wheat. This unwatchful con- 
dition developed immediately after the Sower 
had finished sowing the good seed, it did 



THE PARABLE OF THE TARES 37 

not come at once but developed gradually. 
Beginning with the apostolic age, down to 
the present time, the work of the enemy has 
been the same. Satan is still at work. He 
is still using the old method of counterfeiting 
the Truth. The devil can quote Scripture as 
glibly as ever, but he never quotes it correct- 
ly, he always changes the Truth and makes 
it into a lie. In the beginning of this age we 
behold the tares among the wheat. There 
were those w-ho even from the beginning of 
the age, denied the Diety of our Lord, they 
also denied the fact of His ressurection and 
did all they could to pervert the Truth. 
These were the tares among the wheat, that 
the enemy sowed as soon as the good seed 
was sown. Today the home or foreign mis- 
sionary knows by experience that satan is 
still at work and that he still exercises all his 
cunning and subtility to counterfeit the 
Trath; as soon as the good seed is sown. 
As soon as the fallow ground is broken up 
and the good seed is sown, then immediately 
the enemy comes and at the first opportunity 
the tares are sowed among the wheat. 

(3) The Soil. In this second parable as 
in the first " the field is the world.' ' The two 



38 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

kinds of seed are sowed in the same field and 
that field is the world. The word translated 
world in this connection is Cosmos which 
means the whole system of the universe, in- 
cluding man, the earth, and all the creation 
of God. The field then is the world (cosmos). 

The ownership of the field: (v. 24) "the 
kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man 
who sowed good seed in his field.' ' The field 
(cosmos) belongs to Christ the Sower of the 
seed. Now w r e understand what the psalmist 
meant when he wrote (Ps. 24:1) " The earth 
is the Lord's and the fulness thereof, the 
world and they that dwell therein." The 
Lord Jesus sowed the good seed in the field 
which was His, his by right of creation. The 
enemy (satan) has no right in the field what- 
ever, he is a trespasser, hence he does his 
work when men sleep. 

(4) The Result or the Harvest. Let us 
bear in mind that the Savior is the Sower of 
the good seed and that satan is the sower of 
the evil seed; the good seed are the sons of the 
kingdom and the tares are the sons of the evil 
one; the field is the world: now as to the 
Harvest. 



THE PARABLE OF THE TARES 39 

The two kinds of seed are sowed in the 
same field, they both spring up and grow 
side by side. For awhile the presence of the 
darnel in the w 7 heat is unnoticed, so closely 
does it resemble the growing grain; but when 
the seed appears, then the difference is appar- 
ent. As soon as the servants of the King dis- 
cover the darnel in the wheat, they go to him 
and say, "Sir, didst thou not sow good seed 
in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 
And he said unto them, an enenry hath done 
this. And the servants say unto him, wilt 
thou that we go and gather them up? But 
he saith, nay; lest haply w^hile ye gather the 
tares, ye root up the wheat with them." 
Just here w^e take occasion to speak of an 
error that has crept into the minds of a great 
many Christian people, w^ho say, " we cannot 
have a pure church or assembly, for the Lord 
himself has said that the evil will always be 
with us, and that we are not to put them out 
who are the sons of the evil one." This theory 
is based on the supposition that the Lord 
is referring to the church and we find that 
many 7 people hold to this theory and govern 
their actions accordingly. Notice, however, 
as mentioned before; the Held is not the 



40 THK SEVEN PARA.BLES 

church, the field is the world (cosmos). The 
kingdom of the heavens is not the church, 
although the church is in the kingdom. Our 
Lord is not referring here to evil that springs 
up in the church, and when He says "let 
both grow up together " he is not referring to 
the evil that may be growing up with the 
good in the church. Later on we find that 
our Lord speaks very plainly concerning the 
evil in the church, which He says is not to be 
tolerated. In Matthew 18:15-17 we hear 
Him say " If thy brother sin against thee go, 
reprove him between him and thee alone. If 
he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 
But if he do not hear thee, take with thee one 
or two besides, that every matter may stand 
upon the word of two witnesses or three. 
But if he will not listen to them, tell it to the 
assembly; and if also he will not listen to the 
assembly, let him be unto thee as one of the 
nations and as a tax gatherer.' ' That is the 
Savior's instruction concerning the dealing 
with evil in the church and if we had the 
courage to carry it out, while the member- 
ship of the church might be cut down, the 
efficiency and working power of the church 
would be greatly increased. 



THE PARABLE OF THE TAKES 41 

" The Harvest is the end of the world (the 
age) and the reapers are the angels." In this 
age (the dispensation of grace) the wheat 
and the darnel grow up together. It is the 
Master's will that it should be so, for he 
hath said "let them grow up together." 
How vain and idle is the dream of many who 
today aim at world reformation, wasting 
the time and effort that might have been 
spent in sowing the seed, by attempting to 
pluck up the tares by the roots. The time of 
harvest is not yet come, and even when it 
comes, it will not be given to man to do the 
work committed to the angels, who shall 
then gather together the tares and burn 
them. The wheat and the tares grow up to- 
gether until the end of the age and then comes 
the Harvest. This harvest scene is vividly 
described in Rev. 14:14-20 " And I looked and 
behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one 
sat like unto the Son of Man, having upon 
His head a golden crown, and in His hand a 
sharp sickle. And another angel came out of 
the temple, crying with a loud voice to him 
that sat upon the cloud, thrust in thy sickle 
and reap; for the time is come for thee to 
reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 



42 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: (1) In the 
beginning of the age the devil began his work 
and still continues his work of counterfeiting 
the Truth. On every hand we see him sow- 
ing tares among the wheat. In Mormonism, 
Zionism, Christian Science, etc., we behold 
the result of his sowing. In these we see the 
enemy has so cleverly wrested and misquoted 
Scripture as to deceive man}^. Let us there- 
fore be on our guard with loins girded and 
the lights burning, watching against our foe. 

(2) In this age a mixed condition of 
good and evil prevails. What are we going 
to do about it? Our blessed Lord never 
advocated the Carrie Nation method of 
smashing barfixtures and raiding the dens of 
vice. The province of God's people is not to 
attempt a mere world reformation by endeav- 
oring to root out drunkenness, immorality 
and other obnoxious evils of the age. Our 
province is to sow the good seed with the 
Master: as to the tares we see growing 
among the wheat, the Master says let them 
grow up together till the harvest; sometimes 
we long for the harvest and in impatience we 
exclaim "Why tarry the wheels of His 
chariot " but in the fulness of time He will 



THE PARABLE OF THE TARES 43 

come. Then the Sower of the seed will gath- 
er the wheat into His own granary and the 
tares will be gathered together in bundles 
and burned . Some throw up their hands in 
despair as they exclaim "Alas! the world is 
growing worse!" and others say it is grow- 
ing better. Nov; which is correct? We 
answer the world is growing worse in this 
sense, that evil is unquestionably on the in- 
crease, and again the world is growing bet- 
ter, in this sense that the good is unquestion- 
ably growing stronger every day. We say 
then that the world is growing better and it 
is growing worse; which is only another way 
of saying that the wheat and the tares are 
both growing apace. A mixed condition of 
good and evil prevails in this age until the 
time of the end . 

Finally it is possible for those who in 
times past were known as the sons of the evil 
one to become converted into the sons of the 
Kingdom. This change is at once a great 
miracle and mystery, impossible with man, 
but possible with God. His power and it 
alone can take the vile and sinful heart and 
make it pure and submissive to His will. 

As sons of the kingdom it may be your 



44 THE SEVEN PARABI.ES 

lot to live and grow up among the tares. 
Never fear if j^ou only ever hear and under- 
stand His Word, their presence can have no 
power to harm or hinder you. "Fret not 
thyself because of evil doers, for they shall 
soon be cut down like the grass. Commit 
thy way unto Jehovah, trust also in Him, He 
shall make thy righteousness to go forth as 
the light and thy judgment as the noonday. 
Let your light so shine before men that they 
shall see your good works and glorify your 
Father which is in heaven.' ' 

There are many other questions that we 
might discuss in connection with this parable 
but as our Lord himself does not discuss 
them, we will not take them up here. 



CHAPTER III 
The Parable of the Millard Seed 

Matthew 13:31-32. 

Another parable set he before them, say- 
ing, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a 
grain of mustard seed, which a man took 
and sowed in his field; which is indeed less 
than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is 
greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree 
so that the birds of the heaven come and 
lodge in the branches thereof. 

THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED 

Although this parable of the Mustard 
seed together with the other parables of the 
Kingdom, that were declared after it, was 
not taken up and explained separately as the 
Master did with the first two parables; yet 
in His interpretation of the first two parables 
of the Kingdom, He places in our hands the 
key whereby we are able to unlock the mean- 
ing of the five parables that are left unex- 
plained. With this key in our hands, let us 

45 



46 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

then prayerful^ and reverently attempt the 
study of the parable of the Mustard seed. 

In this parable of the Mustard seed we 
are able to mark out the four points of main 
importance that were so clearly distinguish- 
ed in the first two parables (The Sower, The 
Seed, the Soil or the Field, and the Result or 
the Harvest.) In addition to these four 
points we find another ("the birds") of verse 
32 has been added, and that the most promi- 
nent idea in the parable is not the Sower nor 
is it the seed but the marvelous shall we not 
say the abnormal growth of the seed. 

A comparative study of the scriptures of 
the old and new testament at once reveals a 
most harmonious relation and consistency. 
The same applies with the teachings of the 
Lord Jesus; you cannot find the slightest con- 
fusion of ideas in all His teaching. All is har- 
monious and consistent. If therefore such 
perfect harmony prevails in all the other say- 
ings of our Lord, we can safely argue that the 
same harmony prevails in the parables also. 
For example: if in His interpretation of the 
first parable our Lord says that, "the Sower 
of the seed is the Son of Man," then in every 
parable that follows, where the sower is men- 



THE.;PASABTvE OF THE.MUSTARD .SEED 47 

tioned we must naturally conclude that the 
sower of the seed is still the Son of Man. Any 
other interpretation would result in a con- 
fusion of ideas. Therefore in this parable 
the man who took the grain of Mustard seed 
and sowed it in his field is the Son of Man, 
the Sower of the good seed. The seed (mus- 
tard) is the sons of the Kingdom. The soil 
or the field in which he ^owed the seed is (cos- 
mos) the world. The birds that roost in the 
tree we shall see later are there for an evil 
purpose. The remarkable or abnormal 
growth of the seed comes in the end or con- 
summation of the age. 

Was it a common or natural thing for 
the mustard seed to attain such a remarkable 
growth as here described in this parable? 
Was it a common thing for the traveler to see 
a plant of mustard that had reached such an 
enormous size that the fowls of the air made 
their nests in it and flew to it as they would 
to the widespreading branches of a great 
tree for shelter and safety? We answer that 
a mustard plant of such enormous size 
would be a very rare and extraordinary sight 
indeed, for by nature the mustard plant is 
but a shrub that grows in the garden, often 



48 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

reaching a height of 7 or 8 feet. Yet as Dr. 
Thompson says in his "The Land and the 
Book, ' ' * 'after having seen pepper bushes grow 
on year after year into tall shrubs, and the 
castor bean line the brooks about Damascus 
like willows and poplars, I can readily credit 
the existence of mustard trees as large as are 
here described in the parable of our Lord." 
We are ever disposed to take the words of 
our Lord as literally true. It may be that 
the very spot where our Lord stood when He 
proclaimed this parable was shaded by a 
mustard tree of gigantic proportions so that 
every person present could not help but no- 
tice it and marvel at its extraordinary and 
abnormal growth. Then the Savior who 
had just finished illustrating the Truth con- 
cerning the beginning of the Kingdom, now 
takes the mustard tree which attracts the 
attention of every one present and uses it to 
illustrate the abnormal growth which the 
Kingdom was destined to attain in the end 
of the age. 

The OBJECT of this parable is to illus- 
trate the external growth of the Kingdom 
which the Savior knew was destined to grow 
and attain to a most unnatural and abnor- 



THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED 49 

mal growth. He knows the end from the 
beginning and even though only one-fourth 
of the seed He sows is productive of good, 
even though an enemy is sowing darnel 
among the wheat, yet the kingdom which in 
its beginning is so small and unpromising is 
destined to attain to a most wonderful 
growth so that He says the kingdom of heav- 
en is like to the Mustard seed so small and 
insignificant in its beginning but w r hich 
reaches such an unnatural size that the fowls 
of the air fly to it for shelter. 

But some would ask does not this para- 
able teach us the marvelous growth of the 
church? As we enter into a discussion of 
this question let us note some facts concern- 
ing the mustard tree. The mustard tree 
springs from a little seed which is one of the 
smallest of seeds and yet from this humble 
beginning • there comes the great tree. In 
like manner the church sprang from a most 
humble beginning, and in the course of a few 
centuries attained to a growth which is as 
marvelous as the great mustard tree that 
came from the tiny seed. 

Again the mustard tree grew to such a 
height and size that the birds of the air came 



50 THE SEVEN PARABI.ES 

to it and built their nests in it finding secur- 
ity and shelter in its widespreading branches. 
So also they tell us that the church grew to 
such an extent that its branches spread all 
over the earth, and the nations and peoples 
of the earth like birds fly to the church for 
security and shelter. We readily admit that 
the Church of Christ has grown remarkably, 
and when we consider how small and insignifi- 
cant was the beginning of the church, we ad- 
mit that like the mustard tree, the church 
has attained to an abnormal growth. We 
also admit that a great multitude of uncon- 
verted people are to be found in the church 
today many of whom are (like the un- 
clean birds of the parable) roosting in the 
church, settling down in her branches, seek- 
ing no other object than security and shelter 
from suspicion. 

If this parable of the mustard tree is in- 
tended to illustrate the marvelous growth of 
the church; then the Mustard tree is the 
church and the birds that roost in the tree 
are the converts that have been brought into 
the church. Notice as we compare scripture 
with scripture that birds always represent 
that which is unclean. In the parable of the 



THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED 51 

Sower the birds that swooped down and de- 
voured the good seed which had fallen by the 
wayside are not angels of good, but instru- 
ments of evil. In Genesis 15:11 we have the 
picture of Abraham driving away the unclean 
birds that sought to devour the sacrifice on 
the altar, which sacrifice was the type of the 
atoning work of Christ which He wrought 
for us on the Cross. The birds in this para- 
ble clearly represent the unconverted people 
who are coming into the church and putting 
on the outward form of Christian profession 
to gain some selfish purpose. 

B3' nature the mustard is an herb and 
not a tree. The particular mustard tree de- 
scribed in the parable was a monstrosity, 
something abnormal which not only became 
greater than all herbs, but greater than its 
own species. From this then w r e are forced 
to the conclusion, that if the Savior is using 
the parable of the mustard tree to describe 
the external growth of the churchy then the 
church must be a monstrosity which has 
attained to an abnormal growth. When we 
turn to scripture we find that the church is 
the bride and Christ is the bridegroom. Rev. 
21:9 and in Eph. 1:22,23 we find that Paul 



52 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

speaks of the Church as the body of Christ. 
Therefore since that which is affirmed of the 
Church is also affirmed of Christ: those who 
say that the mustard tree in the parable rep- 
resents the church are forced to take the po- 
sition that the blessed Lord himself the Head 
of the church is perverted and abnormal in 
His personality. 

If the parable of the mustard seed does 
not represent the growth of the church what 
does it represent? The first two parables 
(the Sower and the tares in the field) de- 
scribe the beginning of the kingdom and the 
next two parables (the mustard seed and the 
leaven) describe the external and the internal 
growth of the kingdom. .The church we re- 
peat is not the kingdom although the church 
is in the kingdom. Every church has an in- 
fluence, but every person over whom the 
church has an influence is not in the church; 
this vast domain (CHRISTENDOM) where 
the name of Christ is known and honored is 
the kingdom and the parable of the mustard 
tree describes the external growth of that 
kingdom. 

How did the Kingdom attain such an 
abnormal growth as that which is described 



THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED 53 

in the parable of the mustard seed? The ab- 
normal growth of the Kingdom is the result 
of man's setting aside the divine plan and 
substituting his own plan for the advance- 
ment and upbuilding of the Kingdom. Thus 
through the manipulation of men the King- 
dom develops into that which like the mus- 
tard tree is perverted and of abnormal 
growth. Away back in the early history of 
the kingdom, yes even from the very begin- 
ning when the Master was preaching the 
Kingdom, we find that the disciples instead 
of being clothed upon with humility, were 
ever asking "who is the greatest among us?" 
*' Which of us will sit at the right hand of the 
King?" In the early history of the church 
the same spirit of self seeking is perpetually 
cropping out (I Peter 5:3.) In the fourth 
century under the reign of Constantine the 
Church became a great state institution; 
many now came into the Church who pro- 
fessed Christ but who possessed no faith in 
Him. They sought the security and shelter 
the Kingdom afforded for various politic and 
diplomatic reasons. Thus the church and 
Kingdom of Christ was greatly strengthened 
in a material way, until it finally attained 



54 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

that abnormal growth described in the para- 
ble of the mustard seed. 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: As we step 
onward and upward into the Master's King- 
dom let us not aim at greatness or the pro- 
motion of self. Let us not be found asking 
"Who is to be the greatest among us?" Or 
"Who is to sit at the right hand of the 
King?" Let us rather emulate the spirit of 
the Master, who took upon himself the form 
of a servant and was ever known as the 
meek and lowly Jesus. 

In our efforts to advance and establish 
the Kingdom of Christ we are not to use 
the methods of the world. In the world the 
meek and lowly are pushed aside to make 
room for the high and the mighty. The world 
advances its interests b}^ craft and cunning 
and diplomacy. The servants of Jesus are to 
be wise as serpents, but we are to exercise 
that wisdom which is as harmless as the 
dove. 

When the building up of any world enter- 
prise is considered, we often hear men say, 
1 'we must first have so much capital, and we 
must have so many men of influence to back 
this enterprise," Likewise when the ad- 



THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED 55 

vancement of the King's business is being 
considered, we often hear men say, "we must 
first have so much money and we must have 
the names of so many persons of influence 
back of this enterprise." Thus men often 
leave the Lord Jesus out altogether and for- 
get that it is His kingdom they are seeking 
to advance. His kingdom is not of this 
world neither can His kingdom be built up 
by any world method. Whenever we at- 
tempt to build up the Master's kingdom by 
any world method, then we see that the 
growth which results is perverted and ab- 
normal. 

In the XI chapter of Romans we read of 
a tree which is to grow up and spread its 
branches over the whole earth, This tree for 
the present is cut down, its strength is brok- 
en, its branches lie scattered upon the ground, 
its glory is departed. This tree is Israel, the 
chosen people of God. The nation of Israel 
sinned steadily, obstinately turned her face 
from the light and truth in Christ Jesus, so 
God cut down the tree (Israel) and her 
branches are now scattered among the na- 
tions of the earth. The glory which Israel 
once had, is now s:iven to the Gentile races 



56 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

and today, the same apostasy which de- 
stroyed Israel is now beginning to work in 
the church and we behold all Christendom af- 
fected by it. "Hath God cast away His peo- 
ple Israel?" No, in the end of the age apos- 
tate Christendom the great and mighty tree 
of perverted and abnormal growth will be 
cut down; which by that time will "have be- 
come the habitation of demons and a hold of 
every unclean spirit, and a hold of every un- 
clean and hated bird: 1 ^ (Rev. 18:2) Behold 
even now the axe is laid at the root of the 
tree "if God spared not the natural branches, 
take heed lest He spare not thee." 



CHAPTER IV 
The Parable of the Leavened Meal 

Matthew 13:33 

Another parable spake he unto them; the 
kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which 
a woman took, and hid in three measures of 
meal, till it was all leavened. 

THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN 

As we enter into the study of this parable 
of the leaven, we notice at the very outset 
that two interpretations of this parable pre- 
sent themselves to claim our careful consider- 
ation. Which of these two interpretations 
shall we accept? Let this rule guide us in 
our choice. Let us not accept any interpre- 
tation that may be popular and almost 
universally accepted, simply because of its 
popularity. Nor let us reject that interpre- 
tation which is unpopular and is almost uni- 
versally rejected, simply because of its unpop- 
ularity. The popular idea is not always 

57 



58 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

right and the unpopular idea is not always 
wrong. Mav the SPIRIT sruide us into all 
Truth. 

Again we notice four points of main im- 
portance in this parable. The meal, the 
woman, the leaven and the result of the 
mingling of the leaven with the meal, and of 
these four the most prominent is the Leaven. 

Of the two interpretations of this parable, 
the most POPULAR is this: the leaven is said 
to represent the Gospel, the woman is said to 
represent the church, then the woman (the 
church) takes the leaven which is said to rep- 
resent the Gospel and mixes it with the meal 
which is said to represent the whole human 
race and so they tell us that "the leaven of 
the Gosper 1 is to continue working upon the 
human family until the whole mass is leav- 
ened, or the entire human family is converted. 

We cannot accept this interpretation, 
even though it be the most popular, for two 
reasons. (1) Because this interpretation of 
the parable of the leaven is a direct contra- 
diction of the teaching of all the other pre- 
ceding parables. If the leaven represents the 
Gospel, and the woman represents the church, 
and the three measures of meal represents 



THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVENED MEAL 59 

humanity then the object of this parable is to 
teach us that the power of the Gospel through 
the agency of the church is to so work upon 
men, that finally the whole human race is to 
be converted. This theory although widely 
spread and almost universally accepted 
throughout Christendom is in direct contra- 
diction to the teaching of the parables of the 
Kingdom and the Scriptures in general. In 
the parable of the tares in the field, we have 
seen how that the wheat and the tares (the 
sons of the Kingdom and the sons of the Evil 
one) are to grow up together until the end of 
the age. A mixed condition of good and evil 
is to continue in the world to the end of the 
age; all of which is plainly in direct opposition 
to the popular theory of world conversion in 
this age. 

Again if this parable of the leaven teaches 
us that the power of the Gospel, through the 
instrumentality of the church, is to work up- 
on humanity, until the whole human family 
is converted in this age; then we are forced to 
the conclusion that the Gospel is not making 
very much headway. Is there to be found a 
single nation, city, nay is there a single 
village, or hamlet to be found in all the wide, 



60 THE 5KVBN PAR\BL1- 

wide world where every man, woman and 
child is evangelized. For over 1900 years 
the Gospel has been preached and yet the evil 
is still in the world, the tares are still grow- 
ing among the wheat. Is the Gospel then a 
failure? By no means. For the Savior 
clearly teaches us in the parable of the tares 
in the wheat, that we are not to look for a 
world wide conversion in this age; but are 
rather to find a mixture of good and evil pre- 
vailing in the world to the end of the age. 
Shall the Son of Man find faith on the earth? 
The second reason why we do not accept the 
popular interpretation of this parable is this: 
according to the popular idea, leaven is the 
type of good, whereas we maintain that a 
comparative study of Scripture shows very 
clearly that leaven is everywhere taken as the 
type of evil. A careful study of the Old Testa- 
ment Scriptures clearly reveals the fact that 
leaven is always taken as the type of evil. 
Leaven was excluded from every burnt offer- 
ing that was presented to the Lord. When 
the devout Jew was about to keep the feast 
of unleavened bread, he first searched every 
nook and corner of his house that not a single 
morsel of bread containing leaven be found 



- --. - - - - - £ 

>/evi/. 



is the type of evil. Outside rfits use in this 

parable, we find that our Lord uses the word 
leaven three times and each time it is used in 
ciiinec*::: :: vr:~;: z':\:..z vr:::.".: :s t ':'.'. I'.;.:: 12: 
1 "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees 
which is hypocrisy." Matthew 16:6-13 here 

and that the Savior warns the disciples 
i^Air.s: ".:e \i:-rr^:: :: :i:e r::::.nsees a::1 Sal- 
ducees; and in Mark B:15 He charged them, 

ing, take heed, beware of the leaven of the 
Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.' ' Xow 
what was the leaven of the Pharisees and the 
leaven of the Saddncees and the leaven of 
Herod? it anything good? Xo. The 

leaven of the Pharisees was their hjrpocr: 
They made much of the letter of the law, but 
they utterly ignored the spirit of the law. 
The leaven of the Sadducees was rationalism, 
they denied the doctrine of the ressureetion 
of our Lord and in many other respects their 
teaching tended toward materialism and 
rationalism. The leaven of Herod was the 
pageantry and magnificent display of power 



62 THE SEVEN PARABI.ES 

by which Herod ever strove to conceal from 
the eyes of the people the weakness of his 
own character and the crumbling foundation 
which supported his tottering throne. 

When we turn to the epistles of Paul, we 
find that here too the word leaven is used to 
represent that w-hich is evil. In I Cor. 5:6-8 
we find that leaven is used as the type of e vil, 
when tolerated within the church. In Gal. 
5:9 we see that leaven is used as the type of 
formalism. Thus it becomes very plain that 
throughout all Scripture, whether of the Old 
or New Testament, leaven is taken as the 
type of that which is evil and w^e cannot be- 
lieve that it is the type of good in the parable 
of the leaven. 

Let us now proceed to the consideration 
of the second interpretation of this parable, 
which interpretation, though unpopular, is 
not to be rejected because of its unpopularity. 
Let us now in accordance with our compara- 
tive study of Scripture consider leaven as the 
type of evil. If leaven is the type of evil, then 
what does the meal represent which is cor- 
rupted by the leaven? Where does meal or 
flour come from? It is the product of the 
wheat (the good seed which was sowed by 



THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVENED MEAL 63 

the Sower of the first parable, Christ Jesus 
our Savior). This meal is wholesome and 
good, it stands for the Truth in Christ and 
His Word. When the leaven is mixed with 
the meal, it begins to work until the whole 
mass is changed and influenced in a most 
subtle manner by its nrysterious working. 
Thus our Lord teaches us in the parable of 
the leaven: that error and evil doctrine will 
corrupt the good meal (the doctrine of Christ). 
First the church was made into a great state 
institution; this outward growth of the King- 
dom of Christ becoming more perverted and 
abnormal, is taught in the parable of the 
mustard tree and the internal growth of the 
Kingdom is taught in the parable of the 
leaven. 

The woman in this parable represents the 
apostate church. Her evil doctrine like the 
leaven is corrupting the meal, the Truth in 
Christ. The leaven works silently, secretly, 
its working is a great mystery. Paul speaks 
of its working in II Thes. 2:7 "for the 
mystery of lawlessness doth already work." 
Thus we see that the Truth in Christ became 
corrupt by the introduction of error very 
early in the age and like leaven, the mystery 



64 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

of lawlessness is still at work, and will con- 
tinue to work until all Christendom is per- 
meated with its corrupting influence. 

When w T e remember that the leaven has 
been exerting its corrupting influence 
throughout Christendom for so long, we 
sometimes w^onder that the whole lump has 
not been leavened and the Truth in Christ 
utterly overwhelmed by the power of the evil 
one. We should remember however that 
when our risen Lord ascended to the Father 
in Heaven, He did not leave us alone, but He 
promised His Holy Spirit to them that obey 
Him and revelation and experience alike 
tell us that the promise of the Father has 
been verified. In this evil age, when there is 
so much error and deceit the Holy Spirit 
guides us into all Truth. He enables us to 
distinguish the Truth from error and He 
guides us into all Truth. He ever takes the 
things of Christ and shows them to us. 

Let us now sum up the teachings of the 
parable of the leaven. The leaven is the type 
of error or evil. The woman represents apos- 
tate Christianity, the meal represents the 
Truth of Christ and His Word and the action 
of the woman mixing the leaven with the 



THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVENED MEAL 65 

meal and allowing it to leaven the whole, is 
the type of the internal growth of the king- 
dom. Thus we see according to the teach- 
ings of the parables of the mustard tree and 
the parable of the leaven that the kingdom 
or Christendom, both as to its external and 
internal growth develops into a condition 
which is perverted and abnormal in the end 
of the age. 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Leaven or 
error of which it is the type is silent, secret, 
and mysterious in its working. The Truth 
in Christ Jesus, however, is open and plainly 
held up for the investigation and acceptance 
of all. The gospel invitation is ever extend- 
ed: "Come and see." The Spirit and the 
Bride say come, and let him that heareth say 
come, and whosoever will let him come and 
drink of the water of life freely." The blessed 
Master himself said "in secret have I said 
nothing.' ' He also taught His disciples to 
walk in the light as He is in the light. We 
are to let the light of our lives to shine so 
that men may see our good works and glori- 
fy the Father in heaven. If our lives are tru- 
ly hid with Christ in God we need not fear 
the light. 



66 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

Leaven is corrupting and contaminating 
in its influence. The Truth in Christ Jesus is 
purifying and tends to preserve and make 
wholesome. We are told that "the fear of 
the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. "We 
are also told "that the fear of the Lord 
is clean" The Lord Jesus also says "ye 
are the salt of the earth." Salt we know 
ever exercises a wholesome and purifying in- 
fluence. It is an antiseptic, it arrests decay. 
The Lord's people, in whose lives His Truth 
is thoroughly incorporated are as salt in the 
earth. They exercise a purifying and whole- 
some influence upon corrupt and unregener- 
ate humanity. The elements of decay are in 
everything about us. The Truth in Christ 
Jesus is the only antiseptic that can arrest 
the decay of the leaven of unrighteousness. 
May our lives ever give out this purifying 
and wholesome influence. 

The leaven is persistent in it's working. 
It keeps on working until the whole mass is 
permeated with it's corrupting influence. So 
we as disciples of the Lord are to be energetic 
in our work. The salt is also persistent and 
vigorous in it's action. It keeps pushing it's 
way through every fiber of the mass that is 



THE PAEABLE OF THE I/EAVENED MEAL 67 

salted, until the whole is salted. Let us, who 
through the cleansing blood of Christ are 
purged from our sins, never weary in well- 
doing, for in due season we shall reap if we 
faint not. 

The leaven makes a great show of its 
work: that is, after the leaven is introduced 
into the meal it causes the mass to swell up 
and appear much larger than it really is. So 
Satan, who is swollen with rage, because his 
time is short and the end is drawing near, 
causes those who take up w r ith evil doctrine 
"to utter great swelling words of vanity/ ' 
(2 Pet. 2:18; Jude 1:16.) The love of God in 
Christ Jesus, however, does not tend to puff 
men up or cause them to behave in a unseem- 
ly manner. I Cor. 13:5, "love is not puffed 
up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh 
not it's own." Let us not fear the great 
swelling words of the Evil one, the fire of 
God's wrath wall check and utterly destroy 
his work, "Therefore believers ought to be 
steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in 
the w^ork of the Lord." 



CHAPTER V 
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure 

Matthew 13:44 

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a 
treasure hidden in the field; which a man 
found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and 
selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 

THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN 
TREASURE. 

Our blessed Lord has now declared four 
parables of the kingdom unto the multitudes. 
As soon as He has finished the declaration of 
the fourth parable (the leaven) Matthew 
13:36, "he left the multitudes and went into 
the house" and there, with His disciples 
gathered about Him, He gives them the in- 
terpretation of the first two parables and al- 
so declares the remaining parables of the 
kingdom. We can readily discover a decided 
difference between the first four parables and 
the parables that follow. In the first four 

69 



70 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

parables, the Savior is addressing a mixed 
audience, most of whom were curious specta- 
tors without faith in Christ. They could on- 
ly see with the natural eye and hear with the 
natural ear, for them the eye and ear of faith 
and Spirit were as yet unopened. To them 
the Savior speaks only of such things as they 
could understand in their unregenerate con- 
dition, such as the planting and development 
of the Kingdom, the abnormal growth of the 
kingdom because of the manipulation of man, 
the corrupting of the inward working of the 
kingdom because of perversion of the Truth. 
In the remaining parables, however, the Sav- 
ior is addressing His disciples only, as they 
gather around Him in the seclusion of the 
house. "The secrets of the Lord are with 
them that fear Him." And now we see that 
the Lord begins to unfold before His disciples 
that gather about His feet in faith believing, 
the secret plan and purpose of God the Father 
for the whole world in this age. 

In this parable we discover four points of 
main importance: the man, the field, the 
treasure hidden in the field, and the purchase 
of the field and all that it contains. As we 
proceed with the interpretation of this para- 



THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE 71 

ble we find there are two interpretations, the 
one is quite popular and is almost universal- 
ly taught and accepted throughout Christen- 
dom. The other interpretation is unpopular 
and almost universal^ rejected throughout 
Christendom. We shall discuss both inter- 
pretations but let this rule guide us in our 
choice, not to accept an interpretation be- 
cause of its popularity, or reject an interpre- 
tation because of its unpopularity. The 
popular idea is not always right and the un- 
popular idea is not always wrong. 

The popular interpretation: According 
to the popular interpretation, the treasure is 
the type of salvation or of Christ, the man 
who sells all he has, to purchase the field is 
the sinner seeking eternal life. Such an inter- 
pretation though ever so popular is a direct 
contradiction of the Savior's teaching in the 
preceding parables and the Holy Scripture in 
general. 

(1) We find a man (a Sower) mentioned 
in the first parable and according to the Sav- 
ior's interpretation "the Sower of the seed is 
the Son of Man." Likewise in the second 
parable the Sower of the good seed is the 
Son of Man. In the parable of the mustard 



72 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

seed, the man who took the good seed and 
sowed it is the Son of Man. There never is 
the slightest confusion of ideas, or contradic- 
tion of statement, in all the sayings of Jesus 
and we cannot see how the man referred to 
in the parable of the hidden treasure can rep- 
resent the sinner, while the man referred to 
in the first three parables according to the 
Savior's own interpretation is the Son of 
Man. 

(2) If the hidden treasure is salvation in 
Christ Jesus, and the man who sells all he 
has is the sinner seeking salvation, then we 
are led to believe that the sinner can make 
atonement for his sin by selling all that he 
has. This however is a direct contradiction 
to the teaching of the Savior in the preceding 
parables and of the Scriptures in general. 
The sinner seeking salvation cannot secure 
pardon for sin by selling all or a part of any- 
thing he may possess. The sinner is expect- 
ed to forsake his evil ways, and yet no 
amount of morality or deeds of righteousness 
can secure salvation or pardon for sin. Gal. 
2:16. "By the works of the law shall no 
flesh be justified." We are not justified 
through the works of the law but through 



THE PARABLE OK THE HIDDEN TREASURE 73 

faith in Jesus Christ. Since Christ died for 
us, we are no longer under the law, we are 
under grace. The dispensation of the law, 
began with the giving of the law to Moses 
and ends with the crucifixion of Christ. 
When God gave the law to Moses God 
first reminded Israel of their marvelous de- 
liverance from the house of bondage in Egypt 
because of His grace; and then he offers them 
the law. It was their privilege to plead for 
grace instead of the law. However after the 
law was given in their persumption they 
answered: Ex. 19:8, "and all the people 
answered together and said, all that Jehovah 
hath spoken we will do." Consequently 
God's command through all the dispensation 
of the law was "this do and live." Once dur- 
ng the dispensation of the law a self right- 
eous Pharisee came to Jesus saying: Mark 
10:17, "Good Master what shall I do that I 
may inherit eternal life?" and to him the 
Master said, knowing full well how the rich 
young ruler prided himself on his strict ob- 
servance of the law and also just where he 
had failed to keep the law, the Master said, 
v. 21, "Go sell whatever thou hast and give 
to the poor." But we are to remember that 



74 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

this young ruler came to the Master during 
the dispensation of the law, with the works 
of the law and the Savior answers him as 
one still under the law. But now, Rom. 
6:14-15, "we are not under the law we are 
under grace.' ' With the crucifixion of Christ, 
the demands of the law are forever satisfied. 
4 'Jesus paid it all." The debt we never could 
have paid was cancelled with His precious 
blood. When He died on the cross the dis- 
pensation of the law is ended. A new dispen- 
sation begins (the dispensation of grace) 
which continues until the coming of the Lord. 
In this dispensation the sinner seeking eter- 
nal life is not required to sell all or part of 
anything he may possess to inherit eternal 
life. The purchase of otir salvation has been 
made once for all through the shedding of 
Jesus' blood. Nor can the sinner obtain par- 
don for his sin by deeds of morality and 
works of righteousness. Salvation is now 
no longer secured by the works of the law, 
although the law is still to be kept, but sal- 
vation comes through faith in Christ, and 
even this faith which saves is the gift of God, 
lest any should boast. We cannot purchase 
this salvation we have in Christ Jesus, it is 



THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE /5 

God's free gift, without money and without 
price. God offers it to everyone. ''Nothing 
in my hands I bring simply t o Thy cross I 
cling." The Christian is expected to make a 
surrender and a sacrifice of self. But the 
Christian's surrender and sacrifice of self is 
not the condition upon which we receive or 
purchase our salvation; it is rather the result 
of our salvation. 

We really make no sacrifice or surrender, 
until we have accepted Christ and then in 
proportion as we yield up ourselves to the 
influence of His spirit, the work of surrender 
and sacrifice begins in real earnest and con- 
tinues to the end. Thus Paul says, Phil. 
3:8,10, "Yea, verily, and I count all things 
to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge 
of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I suffered 
the loss of all things, and do count them but 
refuse, that I may gain Christ, (this was af- 
ter Paul's conversion) that I may know Him 
and the power of His ressurection, and the 
fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed 
unto His death." 

Thus we see that any interpretation, 
however popular, which represents the hid- 
den treasure as typical of salvation in Christ 



76 THE SEVEN PARABI.ES 

Jesus, and also represents the sinner as secur- 
ing pardon for his sin by selling all he has; is 
contradictory to the teaching of Christ and 
is a most nauseating mixture of law and 
grace. 

(3) In all the preceding parables the 
word field means "the world. " Now if the 
man in this parable is the sinner seeking sal- 
vation and the hidden treasure is salvation 
in Christ, then according to the parable the 
sinner must sell all he has and buy the 
WORLD (field,) which purchase is manifestly 
impossible. Having seen the absurdity of 
the popular interpretation, let us now turn 
our attention to the second interpretation, 
which though unpopular, is not to be reject- 
ed because of its unpopularity. 

The man does not represent the sinner 
seeking salvation, but Christ seeking the sin- 
ner, the field is the world. Next we notice 
that the man in the parable sells all he has 
and then purchases the field with all the 
treasure that it contains. What man among 
men is able to purchase the field, which in 
this case, is the world, except the Son of Man. 
How great was the sacrifice that he made to 
purchase the field. He who was rich in glory 



THE PARABI/E OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE 77 

became poor for our sakes, that we through 
His poverty might be rich. It is the old, old 
story of Jesus' wonderful love. 

But what is the treasure hidden in the 
field for which the Lord makes so great sac- 
rifice? We answer that Israel is the treasure 
hidden in the field. Ps. 135:4, "for the Lord 
hath chosen Jacob for Himself and Israel for 
His peculiar treasure/' Exodus 19:5, "ye 
shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above 
all people; for all the earth is mine." Isaiah 
43:1, "But now thus saith the Lord thatcre- 
ated thee, Jacob, and He that formed thee, 
Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I 
have called thee by thy name thou art mine." 
The prophecy of Balaam clearly indicates 
how precious the nation of Israel is in the 
sight of God. (Numbers 22-24.) We see here al- 
so to what a high position of trust and honor 
God will jQt exalt His chosen people Israel, 
who for the present are as treasure hidden in 
the field, scattered and dispersed among the 
nations of the earth. When our Lord came 
down from heaven to earth, he purchased the 
whole world, including His earthly people 
Israel who are as treasure hidden in the field. 
In fact we are told "He came to His own 



78 THE SEVEN PARABLZ5 

(Israel) and His own received Him not. 11 
Again in John 11:51, "He died for that na- 
tion." The Lord died tor the nation of Israel, 
but Israel rejected the Savior and so now sal- 
vation is come to the Gentiles, for as many 
as receive Him, to them is given the power to 
be the sons of God, even them that believe on 
His name. 

"Hath God cast away His people?" Xo. 
Israel has been redeemed by the precious 
blood of Christ. For the present the results 
of the Lord's sacrifice are not yet apparent. 
During this dispensation, while the Lord is 
absent from the earth, Israel remains in 
darkness, her eyes are blinded, her strength 
is broken, her glory departed; she is as treas- 
ure hidden in the world wide field. But when 
the Lord comes to earth again and "the full- 
ness of the Gentiles is come;" then the Lord 
will claim His inheritance. He will dig up 
the hidden treasure from the field, and all 
Israel rejoicing in His salvation will sing, 
"Blessed is He that cometh in the name of 
the Lord." 

PERSONAL APPLICATION. — In this 
parable we have the picture of Christ seeking 
the sinner, first the Jew and then the Gentile. 



H : vr true this is. Ht s :ucrht us an:: :■: 
a:::", brought us backint : the fold. '"Here:: 
love not that vre lived S : :: but that Hz drst 
loved us a:::: ^aue bis Sin : : lie :■: r us 

Israel is God's chisen u:;:.: tbe treas- 
ure, hiffen for tbe present : r ; :n tbe eves :f 
the world. Let ns not abuse them, :r curse 
them, or persecute them. Though :le 
by the world and dreadfully persecute 
God still loves them, sni thiugh lie r 
the nations t : punish Israel '::e:aus-e :f their 
rejection of the her:: v. d: : ":: i tight them Yvith 
His blood, jet God hath not cast away His 

come. He tvill ^matl" eualt an:; e 'l : rifr Isra-1. 
Let us take heed b : : - vre even sneak :: them. 
Numbers 24:9, "blessed be every one that 

? c . a - a e c . z s . ^ — — . 'i - z\ r" r a "< z _• r > n c 

;e ::' T ir.;s;.'.e~: the-,- shah tr.-ster th. : 

love thee. P'ea.c be -Othia tOr v/ahs ?.zz 

prosperity within tap palaces. etc." Isaiah 

62:6.7. "Ye that are Jehovah'; reraerabrar- 

a t r a i s c i u t n e e a rt n . 

During this a ee. the fisnensarlon :•:" srrace. 



80 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

Israel is kept hidden in the field. The glory 
that Israel once had, is now given to the Gen- 
tiles. Thus did God bring judgment upon 
Israel for her wilfulness and unbelief. Today 
apostate Christendom is fast approaching a 
judgment, which no doubt will exceed in 
every respect the judgment which rests on 
Israel now. When the time of the Gentiles is 
full then Jehovah will lift up and highly ex- 
alt His chosen people. Romans 11:25-28, 
"For I would not, brethren, have you ignor- 
ant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your 
own conceits, that a hardening in part hath 
befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gen- 
tiles be come in; and so all Israel shall be 
saved; even as it is written. There shall 
come out of Zion the Deliverer; He shall turn 
away ungodliness from Jacob; and this is my 
covenant unto them, when I shall take away 
their sins." 

Let us then remember that this parable 
teaches us that Christ came to earth seeking 
to save the sinner, first the Jew and then the 
Gentile. Israel is "the hidden treasure;' ' hid- 
den for the present because she rejected the 
Lord, who to purchase her redemption shed 
His precious blood. God hath not cast away 



THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE 81 

His people Israel, but when the fulness of the 
Gentiles is come, He will restore Israel to her 
former position of glory. 



CHAPTER VI 
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price 

Matthew 13:45, 46 

Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto 
a man that is a merchant seeking goodly 
pearls: and having found one pearl of great 
price, he went and sold all that he had and 
bought it. 

THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF 
GREAT PRICE 

This parable of the Pearl of Great Price is 
in many respects quite similar to the preced- 
ing parable of the hidden treasure, and yet, a 
careful study and comparison of these two 
parables, shows us that the parable of the 
pearl gives us additional truth and is in many 
respects quite different from the preceding 
parable. 

Again do we find four circumstances brief- 
ly related in this parable. (1) A merchant- 
man seeking goodly pearls, (2) a merchant- 

. 83 



84 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

man finding one pearl of great price, (3) the 
merchantman selling- all he has, (4) the mer- 
chant buying the pearl. 

The popular interpretation of this parable 
is as follows: the merchant seeking pearls is 
represented as the sinner seeking salvation, 
the one pearl of great price is said to represent 
salvation in Christ. We will not stop to dis- 
cuss an interpretation, which however popu- 
lar, is so plainly contradictory to the teach- 
ing of our Lord in the preceding parables and 
to the Scriptures in general. 

The second interpretation is as follows: 
the merchant seeking pearls represents Christ 
seeking the sinner, and to secure this salva- 
tion, Christ sells all He has, even to the lay- 
ing down of His life. But if the merchant 
seeking pearls represents Christ seeking the 
sinner, what does the pearl represent? The 
Hidden Treasure of the preceding parable rep- 
resents Israel, the chosen people of God, and 
the Pearl of Great Price represents the church. 
Inasmuch as the one pearl of great price is 
the most prominent fact in this parable, we 
shall find that a careful study of the facts 
concerning pearl itself will be of great assist- 
ance in arriving at a proper understanding of 



THE PARABLE OF THE PEARI, OF GREAT PRICE 85 

the parable of the pearl. Let us then consid- 
er the following questions: (1) What is pearl? 
(2) How is pearl formed? (3) What is it used 
for and what is it's value? (4) What is pearl 
the symbol of? (1) What is pearl? We all 
know that pearl is a precious gem. The 
scientist tells us that the pearl is carbonate 
of lime, which is the same as chalk. The 
pearl is different from all other gems or prec- 
ious stones. The emerald, the ruby, the dia- 
mond, etc., these all, are inorganic substances 
or compounds. That is: life was not involved 
in the process of their formation. But the 
pearl is an organic compound, that is: Life 
was involved in the process of its formation 
and in this respect, it is different from all 
other jems or precious stones, (2) How is 
the pearl formed? The pearl is formed with- 
in the shell of a living clam or oyster. Some- 
times a grain of sand or some other foreign 
substance works its way into or rather be- 
tween the oyster shell, causing continual irri- 
tation and annoyance to the soft and tender 
mollusk within the shell. Next the secretion 
of the nacre, or mother-of-pearl begins thus 
the foreign substance is covered and the for- 
mation of the pearl begins, layer upon layer, 



86 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

until that which was the source of continual 
pain and annoyance, has been transformed 
into a gem of great beauty and value. " The 
tears of the oyster are found in the beauty of 
the pearl.' ' (3) The value of the pearl. The 
pearl as a precious gem is much sought for 
and is of great value. In some oriental 
countries no one but the king is allowed to 
wear pearls of great price. However, al- 
though from time immemorial pearls were 
regarded as of great value among the gentile 
races, yet little if any value was attached to 
them by the ancient Hebrew people. Job 28: 
18 "No mention shall be made of coral or 
pearl.' ' (4) Whether from its appearance, or 
the manner in which the pearl is formed, the 
pearl has ever been the symbol of purity and 
innocence. Keeping these facts in our mind, 
that deal with the pearl in a general way, let 
us now turn our attention to the interpreta- 
tion of the parable of the Pearl of Great Price; 
remembering that the merchant seeking 
goodly pearls is Christ seeking the sinner, 
and that the one pearl of great price for which 
Christ gives all, is the church. 

In the preceding parable, Christ reveals 
the secret plan and purpose of the Father for 



THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE 87 

His chosen people Israel, who during this dis- 
pensation of grace are as treasure hidden in 
the world wide field. In this parable of the 
pearl, the Lord Jesus explains "the mystery" 
of the church, the pearl of great price, which 
He is forming now. During this evil age the 
real value and great beauty of the church can 
never be discovered. Evil is in the world, the 
tares are growing among the wheat, the 
leaven of unrighteousness is everywhere at 
w r ork spreading its corrupting and contamin- 
ating influence throughout the whole King- 
dom. Sometimes we exclaim How long! O! 
Lord! How long! Why tarry the wheels of 
His chariot! And yet all the while, unhind- 
ered by the wiles of the enemy, or the plans 
of evil men, the Lord Jesus is calling out His 
chosen ones to Himself. One by one He is 
gathering them together out of the dark, 
swelling sea of sinful humanity, and when at 
last the number is complete, and the last one 
of the blood-bought throng is gathered in, 
then the King Himself will come to take His 
own to Himself in glory, and then shall all 
the splendor and beauty of the glorified 
church (the pearl of great price) flash forth, 
and shine forever resplendent in the bosom of 



88 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

the Father. 

Of the four circumstances briefly related 
in the parable of the pearl, the first is this: 
" the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man 
that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls/' 
From this we see that the merchant of the 
parable goes about with a definite purpose in 
view, and that purpose is to find goodly 
pearls. When, therefore, the merchant finds 
at last a pearl of great price, we see that the 
discovery of that pearl is not accidental. 
Now the merchant seeking pearls, represents 
Christ seeking the sinner; while the pearl of 
great price is the church of the living God 
built up of believers, who have been bought 
with the precious blood of Christ. Thus we 
see that the Lord Jesus, like the merchant in 
the parable, came into the world with a defi- 
nite purpose in view. This purpose was re- 
vealed to man before the Savior's birth 
Matt. 1:21 "thou shalt call his name Jesus 
for He shall save His people from their sins." 
Christ came into the world to save sinners. 
To raise men up out of the degredation and 
filth of sin and transform them into that 
which would be forever glorious and most 
precious in the sight of God, This was the 



THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GRE\T PRICE 59 

great purpose which He ever kept before 
Him, and when at last He discovers in the 
church the pearl oi great price, we see that 
the discovery is not accidental, but the result 
of most definite and diligent searching. It is 
but the unfolding of the secret plan and pur- 
pose of God, for those that love Him, ''the 
mystery which from the beginning of the 
world hath been hid in God" (Eph. 3:9). 
How great is this mystery oi God's love here- 
in revealed! Who can comprehend the height, 
the depth, the length and br- : The \ :we 

of God, which went out in so great measure 
for a world dying in sin. that He gave His 
only begotten Son to die that we might live. 
Hence the Savior, obedient in all things to 
the Father's will, left the glories of heaven 
and came to earth seeking the sinner. Ever 
keeping this definite purpose in view, that out 
of the great and innumerable multitude of 
sinners which He ransomed with His life- 
blood, He would form a most glorious comp- 
any into the church of the living God (the one 
pearl of great price) destined to shine forever 
resplendent in the beauty of Christ their Re- 
deemer and King and in all the ages which are 
to come to show forth the wonders of His love. 



90 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

We can now see why the Lord Jesus uses 
the pearl as the type of the church. (1) The 
pearl teaches us how and of what the church 
is formed. In the formation of the pearl, we 
saw how that both life and pain were in- 
volved in the process of it's formation. So 
also with the church, pain and suffering and 
the laying down of life were involved in the 
process of it's formation. A grain of sand 
lodges within the oyster shell, wounding and 
irritating the tender mollusk w r ithin. Next 
the secretion of the mother-of-pearl begins, 
the pearl is formed and the wound is healed. 
The grain of sand is not the pearl, and yet it 
is the basis upon and about which the pearl 
is formed. Considerable time is involved in 
this process. Layer upon layer of a most 
brilliant and irridescent material, in which 
all the colors of the rainbow are blended to- 
gether, are laid upon the grain of sand and 
thus the pearl is formed. Now just as the 
pearl, the gem of rare beauty and great value, 
is built upon that which was of no value and 
which caused pain and suffering to the life 
that formed it; so the church is formed exclu- 
sively of those, who at one time grieviously 
pained and wounded Him who " loved us and 



THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OP GREAT PRICE 91 

gave Himself for us." The church of Christ 
is composed of sinners saved by the grace of 
God. Is. 53:5, 6 fci He was wounded for our 
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniqui- 
ties; the chastisement of our peace was upon 
Him; and with His stripes we are healed. 
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have 
turned every one to his own way; and the 
Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." 
He who in the parable is represented as the 
merchant seeking goodly pearls, came seek- 
ing us. Even while we were yet in our sins, 
He loved us. When we accepted Him in faith, 
He washed us from our sins in His blood. 
--By the gracious influence of His Holy Spirit 
we are enabled more and more, to die unto 
sin and live unto righteousness. Thus will 
He ever continue to work upon us, transform- 
ing that which was vile and sinful into that 
which will be pure and beautiful Eph. 5:27 
"that He might present the church to Him- 
self a glorious church, not having spot or 
wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should 
be -holy and without blemish." The grain of 
sand is not the pearl, nor is the sinner the 
pearl of great price. The pearl of great price 
ie church) is built up of sinners who have 



92 THE SEVEN PARABI.ES 

been made new creatures in Christ Jesus. 
Who have been raised up out of the mire and 
filth of sin and made to sit in heavenly places 
in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He 
might show the exceeding riches of His grace 
in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 

In the parable the one pearl which he 
found at last after most diligent searching 
was of great price; so great was the price 
that he sold all that he had to get it. We 
can understand how precious the church is in 
the sight of God when we remember how 
great the price was that He gave for it. 
Eph. 5:25 " Christ loved the church and gave 
Himself for it." II Cor. 8:9 "For ye know 
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, 
though He was rich, yet for your sakes He 
became poor, that ye through His poverty 
might become rich." Truly He sold all that 
He had even to the laying down of His life. 
He emptied Himself of all heavenly glory, 
came to earth, took upon Himself the form of 
a servant, ever went about doing good, yet 
was misunderstood, misrepresented and per- 
secuted, He who knew no sin was made sin 
for us. He endured the contradiction of sin- 
ners, who might have consumed them by the 



THE PARABLE OF THE PEARI, OF GREAT PRICE 93 

Word of His power. For us He wore the 
crown of thorns, and the purple robe of mock 
royalty. For us He endured all the mockery, 
the insult and the reviling in silence. For 
you and me He carried the cross up the steep 
and stony path of Golgotha's hill. There He 
was crucified between two thieves. All this 
He endured and much more, the half of which 
has never been told. Truly He sold all that 
He had that by His sacrifice He might re- 
deem a world from sin and gather together an 
innumerable company of ransomed souls into 
one glorious body, presenting them at last 
faultless before the presence of the Father 
with exceeding joy. 

The pearl has ever been the symbol of in- 
nocence and purity and has been ever sought 
for in the decoration of kings. So it is with 
the church, the pearl of great price. Once 
they who are now in the church and are 
numbered among the sons of God, were sin- 
ners who dwelt in the filth and the mire and 
w r ere led about as captives by the w r ill of 
Satan. Rom. 8:1, 2 " There is now therefore 
no condemnation to them who are in Christ 
Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after 
the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in 



94 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

Christ Jesus has made me free from the law 
of sin and death.' ' We are now new creat- 
ures in Christ Jesus. His righteousness, His 
power. His beanty is laid upon us. His Spirit 
is working upon us now, He the author and 
finisher of our faith, though absent now, is 
silently and swiftly working; shaping and 
fashioning the pearl of great price. In the 
end of the age when He comes and the trum- 
pet of the Lord shall sound, then shall the 
beauty of the glorified church shine forth and 
as the pearl of great price be taken up to 
shine in all it's irridescent beauty: the rain- 
bow round the throne of God. 

The merchant sold all He had to purchase 
one pearl, so Christ will unity the church and 
make it the one pearl of great price. The 
day will come when the sacramental host, 
now scattered throughout the world, will be 
gathered together into one body at His ap- 
pearing. With joy unspeakable they will 
take up the harp of praise and join with the 
song of the angels as they sing "one faith, 
one Lord, one baptism, one God and Father 
of us all, who is above all, and through all, 
and in all." 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: The mer- 



THE PARABLE OF THE PEARI, OF GREAT PRICE 95 

chant went about seeking goodly pearls, the 
Master came into the world to seek the sin- 
ner and bring him into the fold of God. We 
should never forget that we have all sinned 
and come short of the glory of God. That 
Christ sought us and found us and brought 
us into the fold. That the church is built up 
of men who once were vile and sinful, but who 
now are led by the Spirit of God. That none 
of us, no not even the best of us, have any 
cause for boasting, for it is only bv His grace 
that we are what we are. That it is His 
power, which has lifted us up into the 
heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 

The merchant went about with a definite 
purpose in view: namely to discover and pos- 
sess the one pearl of great price. So the Lord 
Jesus ever had and kept the one purpose in 
view: namely to seek and to save the lost, 
and out of the great and innumerable comp- 
any of souls ransomed by His blood to form 
and fashion that which as the church, would 
ever be the one pearl of great price, most 
precious in the sight of God. Even so we as 
true disciples should have a definite purpose 
in life. The highest aim and purpose we can 
keep before us is to live for others. Christ 



96 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

gave Himself for others and if we would fol- 
low in His steps we should enter into the 
fellowship of His suffering. 

If we truly love the Lord and sincerely 
desire to serve Him aright, then we will con- 
nect ourselves w r ith some branch of His 
church. What though there may be flaws 
and imperfections in the church visible, we are 
strengthened in faith as we unite with others 
in the Lord's work, we are able to accomp- 
lish more in spreading the Truth and how 
can we expect to have Him who bought us 
with His precious blood, openly acknowledge 
and acquit us in the day of judgment, unless 
in our lifetime, we as we have opportunity, 
openly acknowledge Him as our Savior and 
confess Him before men. 

As members of the church we are to be 
loyal to our denomination, but we are not to 
boast about it, or set ourselves up as better, 
or in any way as superior, to the other de- 
nominational branches of the church. The 
day is coming when the trumpet's sound will 
scatter all the historical differences and tra- 
ditions that now divide us. Then there will 
be one faith, one Lord, one baptism, one 
church. 



CHAPTER VII 
The Parable of the Drag Net 

Matthew 13:47-50 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like un- 
to a net, that was cast into the sea, and 
gathered of every kind; which, when it was 
filled, they drew up on the beach; and they 
sat down, and gathered the good into ves- 
sels, but the bad they cast away. So shall 
it be in the end of the world: the angels shall 
come forth, and sever the wicked from among 
the righteous, and shall cast them into the 
furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and 
gnashing of teeth. 

THE PARABLE OF THE DRAG NET 

We have now come to the consideration 
of the last of the seven parables of the King- 
dom. In the study of the first of these para- 
bles (the Sower) we are taken back to the 
times of the apostles and we are given a de- 
scription of the beginning of the Kingdom of 
the heavens after it is committed to the 

97 



9^ TKZ SKVEH PAKABLZS 

hands of men. In this last parable (the drag- 
net) we are given a description of what the 
end of this dispensation ^vill be like. As we 
look at the picture held up before us in this 
parable, we see a great, large net let down 
into the sea and left there to take in fish of 
all kinds until it is lull, and then it is taken 
up and the good fish are sorted out and pre- 
served, but the bad and worthless are cast 
out. The disciples must have listened to 
this parable with intense interest, for many 
of them were fishermen. They had often cast 
the net into the sea and toiled all night long 
and taken nothing. When they became ac- 
quainted with Jesus we read that "they 
straightway left their nets and folio wedHim." 
Matt. 4:20. The Lord Jesus had already ex- 
plained the mystery of Israel in the parable of 
the hidden treasure. He had also explained the 
mystery of the Church in the parable of the 
pearl, and now that he would explain the 
mystery of the end of the age. (the dispensa- 
tion of grace) He uses the parable of the 
drag net and then to these disciples, thor- 
oughly acquainted as they were with every 
detail of the fisherman's work. He adds the 
following by way of interpretation, "thus 



THE PARABLE 05 1HZ ERAG NET Yi 

shall it be in the completion of the age: the 
angels shall go forth an-:: sever the wicked 
from among the ;ust, and shall cast them in- 
to the furnace of hre: there shall v e weeping 
and gnasnms" 01 teetn. 

As we look at tnis parao.e we can reaaav 

nence: the net, the sea. the fish, the hsherman 
and the hnal separation of the good from the 
bad. 

THE NET -What is the net : What 
does it represent? Seme would nave us be- 
lieve that the net represents the church. 
However, this cannot be: for the scene of this 
parable is laid in a time after the church is tak- 
en out of the world. According t; I Thess. 
4:16.17 the hrst event in the closing of this 
dispensation of grace will be the e:mi::g :f 
the Lord for His" saints. At His avvearinv 
the trumpet's sound will raise up the dead 

up first, and then we whe are alive and re- 
main on the earth will be caught up and 
thus shall the church, the one pearl :■■:* great 
price be taken up to shine forever resplendent 
in the bosom of the Father, airier the church 
is taken up the end of the age begins. This 



100 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

parable is a description of the end of the age, 
the Master Himself in His interpretation of 
the parable says distinctly, "thus shall it be 
in the completion of the age." Thus we can 
see very clearly that the net is not the church, 
for the scene of this parable is laid in a time 
after the church is taken up out of the world. 
The first event in the closing of this dis- 
pensation will be the coming of the Lord for 
His saints. The next will be a brief period of 
time called "the great tribulation" described 
in Matt. 24:21,22; Zeph. 1:15,18; Dan. 12:lj 
Jer. 30:5-7; Rev. 7:14. This time of great 
tribulation will be a dreadful time, were it 
not for the prayers of God's elect, all would 
be destroyed. After the period of great tribu- 
lation is ended, then the Lord will come with 
His saints, in great power and glory and af- 
ter the separation of the good from the bad 
is accomplished the millennial reign begins. 
We believe the scene of the parable of the 
drag net is laid some time after the coming 
of the Lord for His saints, and some time be- 
fore His coming with His saints. In all 
probability the separation of the good from 
the bad mentioned in this parable, occurs 
during the great tribulation. 



THE PARABLE OF THE DRAG NET 101 

Inasmuch as we have seen that the net 
cannot represent the church, we are still con- 
fronted by the same question, What is the 
Net? The Master says " Again the Kingdom 
of the heavens is like unto a drag net." We 
believe then that the net represents the King- 
dom. Let us keep the distinction between 
the church and the kingdom in mind. The 
church is not the kingdom, yet the Church is 
in the Kingdom. This may seem confusing, 
but we can illustrate it in this way: Every 
church has an influence, that influence is not 
confined to the membership of that church, 
but reaches out among a great number of 
people who are not connected with any 
church. Now what shall we call the terri- 
tory over which any church may have an in- 
fluence? Let us call it the kingdom of that 
church. Now the church of Jesus Christ (we 
refer to the church irrespective of denomina- 
tion) is exercising a great influence through- 
out the world, that influence is by no means 
confined to the membership of the church, 
what shall we call this vast domain over 
which the church of Christ exercises an influ- 
ence? The name that is commonly applied 
to this vast domain is Christendom, the do- 



102 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

main where the name of Jesus is known and 
honored. We are willing to admit that there 
are people in the world who have not yet 
come under the influence of the kingdom, not 
only in foreign lands, but even in our own 
land there are many w^ho have never heard 
the name of Jesus, But wherever the Gospel 
has been presented, wherever men have been 
brought face to face with the question, what 
will you do with Jesus? That is Christendom, 
that is the kingdom. During this dispensa- 
tion, the Gospel is being spread through the 
instrumental^ of the church. By and by at 
the comiilg of the Lord the church wall be 
taken out of the world and then will come 
the great tribulation. It is very evident that 
this time of great tribulation does not begin 
until the church is taken out of the world. It 
occurs during the last half of Daniel's seven- 
tieth week, and is described under the fifth, 
sixth and seventh seals of the book of Revela- 
tion, The great tribulation will not begin 
till the antichrist is come, and antichrist can- 
not be manifested till the Holy Spirit removes 
the church out of the world, for He is the 
power in the church that restrains. II Thess. 
2:7,8, "The mystery of lawlessness doth al- 



THE PARABLE OF THE DRAG NET 103 

ready work; only there is One that restraineth 
now, until He is taken out of the way. And 
then shall be revealed the lawless one." 

After the church (the pearl of great price) 
is taken up, the end of the age begins and it 
is in the end of the age that the scene of this 
parable of the drag net is laid. Inasmuch as 
the Lord Jesus does not give us an interpre- 
tation of all the details of this parable, we 
w r ill not attempt to explain that which He 
does not reveal. However this much is evi- 
dent. After the church is taken out of the 
world, God wall not utterly abandon this 
world and turn it over to the power of the 
evil one. Even during the time of great 
tribulation, men will be warned of impending 
doom. Perhaps the angels who are to separ- 
ate the good from the bad wall also fly to 
and fro in the heavens with the everlasting 
Gospel and call upon men "to fear God and 
give Him the glo^, for the hour of His judg- 
ment is come." Rev. 14:6,7. 

The most prominent fact in th£ parable 
of the drag net is the separation of the good 
from the bad. The Savior Himself says that 
this will take place in the end of the age and 
that the work of separating the good from 



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106 THE SEVEN PARABLES 

mercy. As we walk through the corridors of 
Truth in His Word and review the history of 
His dealing with man, we see that from the 
beginning to the end that history is the rec- 
ord of the Spirit of God striving with man 
and the spirit of man rebelling against God. 
All through the ages and dispensations of 
the past, the hand of God has been stretched 
out in mercy over rebellious and sinful hu- 
manity, nor has God ever wholly abandoned 
the human family or forsaken them for their 
sin. God takes no pleasure in the death of 
the wicked, He would have all men be saved. 
When we think of His wonderful love, His in- 
finite mercy and patience in dealing with sin- 
ful humanity, ought not we who are bought 
with the price of His precious blood, be more 
patient and gracious, merciful and forgiving. 
Hath He not said, if thy enemy hunger feed 
Him, if he thirst give him drink; hath He not 
said vengeance is mine I will repay. If our 
lives were ever filled with this spirit of the 
Master, would we not be more successful in 
winning souls? 

When at last the fullness of time is come 
and the cup of the world's iniquity is full, 
then the angels will begin their work of sep- 



THE PARABLE OF THE DRAG NET 107 

arating the good from the evil. What start- 
ling changes and revelations will be made in 
that time when the angels take this world in 
hand. What weeping, what wailing, what 
gnashing of teeth, when the wicked are con- 
sumed by the wrath of God and by the fierce- 
ness of His anger. What brightness, what 
glory will be revealed w^hen the righteous ap- 
pear separated at last from all that w^hich is 
evil or occasions stumbling. 

What is your life? Is it like a bright and 
shining light that shines more and more un- 
to the perfect daj^, or are you each day treas- 
uring up wrath against the day of wrath? 
Think not that because judgment has been so 
long delayed, that it will never come; The 
Lord hath sworn and He will also perform 
it; vengeance is mine, I will repay saith the 
Lord. Watch, therefore, and pray for how 
shall we escape, if we neglect so great a sal- 
vation. 

When Jesus had finished these parables 
He said unto His disciples, Matthew 13:51, 
Have ye understood all these things? They 
say unto Him, Yea. And He said unto them, 
therefore every scribe who hath been made a 
disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like unto 



108 THE SEVEN PARABI.ES 

a man that is a householder which bringeth 
forth out of his treasure things new and old. 

The "things old" refer to the things of 
the Old Testament and the "things new" re- 
fer to the things of the New Testament, of 
which the Savior had just given a synopsis 
in the parables of the kingdom. Thus by a 
comparative study of the Old and New Tes- 
tament of God's Word, may we under the 
guidance of the Holy Spirit, ever be enabled 
to know more of His will and lay hold of 
God's great plan and purpose for the human 
race. 

If you ask what is the sign of His coming 
and of the end of the age? We answer: Mat- 
thew 24:36, "But of that day and hour 
knoweth no one, not even the angels of 
heaven, neither the Son, but the Father on- 

Watch therefore and pray for in an hour 
ye think not, the Son of Man cometh. 



f JUN 8 1908 



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